Swiss Franc gains as Fed policy uncertainty drags down US Dollar
- USD/CHF falls after FOMC Minutes show officials divided on keeping rates at 3.6% or hiking.
- US-Iran friction limits US Dollar losses by boosting expectations that the Fed will keep interest rates higher for longer.
- The Swiss Franc finds support as rising inflation fears drive safe-haven demand.
USD/CHF remains subdued for the second successive day, trading around 0.8070 during the Asian hours on Thursday. The pair faces challenges as the US Dollar (USD) struggles following the release of Wednesday's Federal Reserve (Fed) Meeting Minutes.
During Kevin Warsh’s debut meeting as FOMC Chairman on June 16-17, policymakers were split: while many participants noted the benchmark rate would likely finish the year unchanged or slightly below its current 3.6% level, an equally vocal contingent argued that rates would need to move higher by year-end.
This geopolitical friction has reinforced expectations that the Fed may lock in higher interest rates for longer to combat stubborn price pressures. According to the CME FedWatch tool, swap traders have raised the probability of a rate hike at the next Fed meeting to over 30%, a sharp jump from less than 20% just last week.
However, the US dollar could see a boost in safe-haven demand as renewed tensions between the US and Iran fuel fears of energy-driven inflation. Iranian Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned the United States after two days of renewed US strikes, saying that any U.S. military action will prompt retaliation. Ghalibaf emphasized that access to the Strait of Hormuz remains under Iranian control.
The USD/CHF pair is gaining ground, even as the Swiss Franc (CHF) finds support from safe-haven demand driven by rising inflation fears. This comes as the Swiss National Bank (SNB) reiterated its readiness to intervene in the foreign exchange markets 'if necessary' to prevent excessive CHF appreciation and temper imported inflation.
Swiss Franc FAQs
The Swiss Franc (CHF) is Switzerland’s official currency. It is among the top ten most traded currencies globally, reaching volumes that well exceed the size of the Swiss economy. Its value is determined by the broad market sentiment, the country’s economic health or action taken by the Swiss National Bank (SNB), among other factors. Between 2011 and 2015, the Swiss Franc was pegged to the Euro (EUR). The peg was abruptly removed, resulting in a more than 20% increase in the Franc’s value, causing a turmoil in markets. Even though the peg isn’t in force anymore, CHF fortunes tend to be highly correlated with the Euro ones due to the high dependency of the Swiss economy on the neighboring Eurozone.
The Swiss Franc (CHF) is considered a safe-haven asset, or a currency that investors tend to buy in times of market stress. This is due to the perceived status of Switzerland in the world: a stable economy, a strong export sector, big central bank reserves or a longstanding political stance towards neutrality in global conflicts make the country’s currency a good choice for investors fleeing from risks. Turbulent times are likely to strengthen CHF value against other currencies that are seen as more risky to invest in.
The Swiss National Bank (SNB) meets four times a year – once every quarter, less than other major central banks – to decide on monetary policy. The bank aims for an annual inflation rate of less than 2%. When inflation is above target or forecasted to be above target in the foreseeable future, the bank will attempt to tame price growth by raising its policy rate. Higher interest rates are generally positive for the Swiss Franc (CHF) as they lead to higher yields, making the country a more attractive place for investors. On the contrary, lower interest rates tend to weaken CHF.
Macroeconomic data releases in Switzerland are key to assessing the state of the economy and can impact the Swiss Franc’s (CHF) valuation. The Swiss economy is broadly stable, but any sudden change in economic growth, inflation, current account or the central bank’s currency reserves have the potential to trigger moves in CHF. Generally, high economic growth, low unemployment and high confidence are good for CHF. Conversely, if economic data points to weakening momentum, CHF is likely to depreciate.
As a small and open economy, Switzerland is heavily dependent on the health of the neighboring Eurozone economies. The broader European Union is Switzerland’s main economic partner and a key political ally, so macroeconomic and monetary policy stability in the Eurozone is essential for Switzerland and, thus, for the Swiss Franc (CHF). With such dependency, some models suggest that the correlation between the fortunes of the Euro (EUR) and the CHF is more than 90%, or close to perfect.
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